New Delhi : State-run GAIL Gas Limited has partnered with ridesharing company, Uber, to promote the usage of CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) across various cities in India.
The initiative will be rolled up in Bengaluru and will subsequently be extended in other cities. In this GAIL Gas CNG Stations and Uber will promote the adoption of cleaner fuels like CNG in Ubers in Bengaluru. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the same was signed between the two companies during the inauguration of a GAIL Gas CNG Station at Hardware Technology Park, near Bengaluru airport. The partnership has led to ‘Hasiru Bengaluru’ or ‘Green Bengaluru’.
As per the deal, GAIL Gas will provide free CNG to the first 500 cars joining under the programme, capped at a maximum of Rs 10,000 per car. Additionally, GAIL will be extending coupons to each of the participating Uber driver partners for Rs 2, 500 per month for the first four months.
On Uber’s side, it will provide a joining award of Rs10, 000 to the first 500 CNG vehicles driving with the platform. Uber will in turn, create awareness among its driver partner community on the benefits of CNG through several channels. In order to promote cleaner fuel vehicles, GAIL Gas and Uber will also be leading conversations with OEMs, auto dealers and retrofitters.
The GAIL Gas CNG station which was inaugurated at KIADB Hardware Technology Park, near Bengaluru Airport, has a capacity to fuel approximately 1, 000 vehicles a day. The station has two compressors with 1,200 SCMH Capacity each and four dispensers for refilling cars and autos. These dispensers have the capacity to refuel eight vehicles simultaneously at any time.
B C Tripathi, CMD, GAIL (India) Limited, said, “Alliance with Uber is a major step to fulfil our commitment in making Bengaluru’s air cleaner by expanding usage of CNG across the popular taxi ridership as we move towards a ga- based economy under Government of India’s vision.”
Commenting on the partnership, Madhu Kannan, Chief Business Officer –India & Emerging Markets, Uber said, “For budding and current driver partners on Uber alone, use of CNG is expected to create monthly savings of upto ~Rs 15, 000. Together with GAIL Gas, we hope to develop a CNG ecosystem in the city with the active support of our driver partners as well as the public at large.”